Improvement in gates



W.I.LUDLOW.

Improvement in Gates.

No. 121,181, Patented Nov-21,1871.

UNITED STATES WASHINGTON I. LUDLOW, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,181, dated November21, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WASHINGTON I. LUDLOW, of Cleveland, in the county ofOuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exactdescription-thereof, sufficient to enable others skilled in the art towhich my invention appertains to fully understand and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1represents a plan or side view of my improved gate, showing the same inan elevated position. Figs. 2 and 3 are detached views, showing themanner of forming the receptacle for the weights.

My invention relates to an improved construction of gates; and consistsin a certain peculiar manner of hanging the gate, whereby I obviate theuse of hinges and of balancing the gate so that the whole weight of thelatter rests and swings on a single pivot. The gate is balanced by aweight pivoted to the end or ends of the boards forming the gate-frame,immediately back of the gate-post, which permits the gate to be raisedor. lowered, opened or closed, with the greatest facility; and by thisarrangement all strain on the post to which the gate is hung isprevented, though the latter be in any position.

In the drawing, A represents the ordinary fence-post, provided with anarm or extension,

B, of wood or metal, extending from the top of the said post, and thisarm having at its end formed a hole, in which works a pivot, to,extending from the upper end of the gate-post O. The lower end of thispost is also provided with a pivot, 1), Working in a suitable bearing.The gate-post A is formed or provided with a series of mortises, c c c,which are made somewhat longer than the width of the longitudinal boardsd d d, forming the frame of the gate, these boards being secured in themortises, with their ends projecting in the rear of post, by bolts orother devices. By forming these mortises of a length longer than thewidth of the boards will be the gate can be either raised or loweredwith the greatest facility and ease. The gate proper is constructed oflongitudinal boards (I d d and battens e c, all suitably securedtogether after the manner of the ordinary mode of constructing gates;and the gate is provided with a suitable fastening device. The ends ofthe board at d project through the mortises of the gate-post G and upontheprojecting ends of these boards is arranged a suitable weight, sothat portion of the gate in front of the post 0 will be counterpoised orbalanced, thus bringing the center of gravity of the gate immediately inline with the upper and lower pivots, and thereby taking all strain fromthe supporting-arm B, and consequently from the fence-post A, to whichthe latter is attached and this will be equal in any position the gatemay be caused to assume.

By the arrangement above described the weight can be raised over anyobstruction which may be in its way in the operations of opening, andthe gate can be opened in either direction desired, and set at rest inany position of its orbit, accommodating itself to any unevenness of theground; and it can thus be held open in any place desired without thenecessity of propping.

In the space between the fence-post A and the gate-post B, and attachedto the projecting ends of the boards 61 d, is arranged a peculiar box orreceptacle for the necessary weights by which to balance the gate; andthis receptacle, in the present instance, consists of two boards, ff, ofa length exceeding the height of the gate, secured together with cleatsbetween them to keep their inner faces about one inch, more or less,apart; and in this space is secured the projectin g ends of the boards61 d; and upon the upper and lower ends of these boards are secured twocircular or other pieces, g g, of wood or other suitable material, of adiameter equal to the width of the boards ff. Between the upper andlower ends of these boards are also secured the two sections h h, ofsimilar circular pieces of wood. Longitudinally around the periphery ofthese circular pieces is now attached pickets or strips '5 i i, leavinga small space between each strip, and thus forming a sort of cylinder orarm, in which can be placed stones or other weights, which serve tobalance the gate for the purpose above described.

By pivoting the gate-post O in the projecting arm B, secured to the topof the post A, and the lower end of the post working in a similarbearing, the use of hinges is dispensed with.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters In evidence that I claim the above I have Patent, ishereunto set my hand in the presence of two The boards f f, securedtogether and confining subscribing Witnesses. the pivoted ends of thebars d d, and arranged WASHINGTON I. LUDLOW.

and guided Within the Weight-cylinder, provided With the top and bottomplates 9 g, and operat- Witnesses:

ing in conneetion'With the bars d d, as herein set S. L. WADSWORTH,

forth. W. N. WHITE. (52)

